Green mantra in schools

Organisation called Green Yatra to give city students practical training in energy conservation, global warming; 30 lakh students in country part of programme

Green mantra in schools

Organisation called Green Yatra to give city students practical training in energy conservation, global warming; 30 lakh students in country part of programme

Beginningu00a0next month, students from schools across the city will get a chance to study the subject of environment with hands-on experience and learn what role they play in sustaining the environment. This task will be undertaken by Green Yatra, a non-profit organisation run by expert environmental volunteers. As part of their national initiative, the team will conduct in-depth, practical studies under the banner of 'Go Green Kids'. Students of government and other private educational institutions will be taken to slums and other rural areas in order to highlight the problems faced by the inhabitants and further create awareness about the environmental issues amongst them.

Representation Pic

The eco-course initiated by the organisation aims to sensitise students about the issues of energy conservation, garbage recycling and global warming among others. The courses will be conducted after tying up with the schools in the city. Though the courses have already begun in schools in Mumbai, the organisation plans to implement it in the city on a large scale.

"Our main objective is to change the mindset of children and make them responsible towards nature. The approach is more practical as we make them understand how thousands of students from slums face problems due to lack of water and electricity. Once they understand, they will start preserving it," said Dr Pradeep Tripathi, founder of Green Yatra, which has registered with around 4,000 private and civic schools across India.
Scholarships
After the termination of the courses, which will be conducted mainly after school hours, the students will have to appear for a test following which the organisation will award scholarships and certificates.

Building curiosity
"The students take great interest in it. After visiting those low-class areas, they become curious and ask why others have to live without electricity or why the amount of garbage is increasing, and when they understand they try to reduce the wastage in their own homes," Tripathi added. Till date, almost 30 lakhs students across the country have been part of this initiative.

Along with the course, Green Yatra will also initiate a drive called 'Book Donation Culture' where they plan to induce students from each class to donate their books to students of the previous class, so that they not only save money but also prevent wastage of paper.

Birth of Green Yatra
Established in 2010, Green Yatra with around 500 volunteers across the globe has been running the 'Go Green Kidz' initiative since June 2011. The groups of volunteers visit schools and conduct workshops sensitising children on environmental issues by conducting audio-video and power-point presentations.